Former NC State players are turning heads around the NFL this season. As of Nov. 11, seventeen active players are currently balling out and it’s time to give them the recognition they deserve.
The NFL has reached its midway point of the season and players are getting chances left and right to make their mark on the game. At the top of the list of Pack Pros: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson, Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
Jacoby Brissett, quarterback
The Arizona Cardinals have faced plenty of challenges in their quarterback room this season. With offensive weapons like wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride flashing breakout potential, the only thing missing is consistent quarterback play. Quarterback Kyler Murray was named the starter at the beginning of the season, but after suffering a foot injury, he was placed on injured reserve.
Brissett was called to the challenge, and the only expectation for him was to keep the team from falling apart until their star quarterback returned from injury. Brissett wasn’t satisfied with that, and wanted to show doubters that he can still be “that guy” on a team with offensive weapons.
In a crucial game against the Dallas Cowboys on the road, Brissett outdueled one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league, Dak Prescott, and picked up the Cardinals third win of the season. Brissett threw for 261 yards with two passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 115.1 This was miles ahead of what the coaching staff expected from Brissett, and it earned him the starting position against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10.
While the Cardinals lost to Seattle 44-22, Brissett still threw 2 passing touchdowns and 258 yards with zero interceptions. Through six games, he has thrown only one pick, tying him for fourth-least among QBs with over 25 completions.
Payton Wilson, linebacker
The Pittsburgh Steelers are known for having one of the most intense defenses to play against. Led by linebacker T.J. Watt, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have always been a team to reckon with. Now, with the addition of a linebacker like Wilson who possesses the athleticism and hunger that defensive coordinators love, opposing offenses will get exposed even more often.
Wilson was one of the most prolific linebackers the college game has ever seen, and he is already making the same kind of impact in the NFL. In a home game against the Indianapolis Colts, Wilson gave fans a glimpse of vintage NC State Payton Wilson with 14 total tackles –10 being solo tackles. He led a defense full of Hall of Fame-caliber talent against the second-best team in the league during Week 9.
Ikem Ekwonu, offensive tackle
The Carolina Panthers appear to have turned a new page after winning a combined seven games over the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In 2025, the team is now 5-5 and looks much improved with wins against the Packers and the Cowboys. One of the main reasons for this recent success has been the play of offensive tackle Ekwonu.
Ekwonu played a crucial role in the Panthers’ upset win over the Green Bay Packers. He was matched up primarily with star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who has been debatably the best pass rusher in the NFL since entering the league five years ago, recording 10-plus sacks in past seasons he’s played. Ekwonu held Parsons to only three total tackles the entire game, and protected his quarterback, Bryce Young, as Parsons was unable to record a sack.
The Panthers went on to upset the Packers 16-13, and while Ekwonu doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, his performance against Parsons was exemplary.
Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver
Meyers has been through a lot of changes during the first half of this NFL season. The wide receiver was traded Nov. 4 from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville’s wide receiver room has taken some big hits with injuries to star Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie sensation Travis Hunter, and Meyers looks to fill these spots and make his mark.
Meyers debuted for the Jaguars this past Sunday against the Houston Texans. The former Wolfpack led the team in receiving yards with 41 on three receptions, averaging 13.7 yards per catch. Meyers caught every ball thrown to him by quarterback Trevor Lawrence showing that team chemistry is already building. Meyers was reportedly unhappy with Las Vegas and demanded a trade, and it seems like Jacksonville has given him a chance to showcase what he can do.
